CINDERELLA will not be going to two balls in York at Christmas after all.

Both York Theatre Royal and the Grand Opera House announced Cinderella as their chosen pantomime for winter 2004-2005, but the Theatre Royal has now decided to end the mix-up by substituting Sleeping Beauty.

This announcement comes only days after the theatre's latest brochure was published, and only two days before tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday morning. The brochures will not be pulped; instead, the change will be explained when bookers call.

Pantomime institution Berwick Kaler will star in Sleeping Beauty from December 8 to January 29 in his 26th season as dame, while the Grand Opera House will run Cinderella, starring former Blue Peter presenter Tim Vincent, from December 8 to January 2.

Theatre Royal artistic director Damian Cruden said: "Berwick had already begun working on Cinderella, but we've decided to put a brake on it and make this change. The Opera House can't change a show that it's bringing in, but we're a producing theatre, and we produce for York, and so we can do something that addresses York's needs."

In keeping with tradition, Berwick revealed the next production on the last night of Mother Goose's Silver Jubilee on January 31, whereas the Opera House's choice was not publicised until the newly-released summer leaflet.

The Evening Press broke the news of the change to Opera House general manager Lizzie Jones, who explained how York got two Cinderellas. "We had decided upon Cinderella in the course of discussions at the theatre a Christmas and announced the show in our summer guide."

Updated: 10:38 Tuesday, March 30, 2004